Car-coupling



CAR COUPLING.

No. 592,876. I Patented Nov. 2, 1897.

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HARRY L. MILLER, OF WAIISAU, WISCONSIN.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 592,876, dated November2, 1897.

Application filed March 15, 1897.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY L. MILLER,-of Wausau, in the county ofMarathon and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and usefulImprovementin Car-Couplers, of which the following is a description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part ofthis specification.

My invention has'relation to improvements in oar-couplers.

The object is to provide an improved construction of automatic couplerwhich is set for coupling without the necessity of a trainman passing inbetween the two cars, and which is also of such form that one carprovided with my improved coupling is adapted by improved means to becoupled to another car in which the draw-head thereof is on a higherplane than the draw-head of the car carrying my improved coupler, thecouplinglink being adapted to be readily adjusted, so as to accuratelyfit into the higher draw-head.

With the above primary'objects in view the invention consists of thedevices and parts or their equivalents, as hereinafter more fully setforth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of two carsequipped with my improved couplings, said couplings being in lockedposition. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through thedraw-heads, showing the pin in one head as lowered and passing throughthe coupling-link and the pin of the other draw-head as in' its raisedposition. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the couplingheads. Fig. 4 is across-section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a detail view ofthe transverse rock-bar for raising the coup ling-pin.

Referring to the drawings, the numerals 6 6 indicate two cars equippedwith my improvements. The draw-heads connected to these cars areindicated, respectively, by the numerals 7 7 and each of thesedraw-heads is provided with the usual longitudinal opening or mouth 8,flared at its outer end for the more ready entrance of thecoupling-link. The bottom of this opening or mouth just back of theflare is raised or offset, as indicated at 9, to form a seat for thecoupling link 10. Near its outer end the draw-head Serial No. 6 2 7,612. (No model.)

is intersected by vertically-alined openings 11 and 12, the formerextending through the top of the longitudinal opening 8 and the latterfrom the longitudinal opening through the bottom of the draw-head. Thesealined openings form a passage for the coupling-pin 13, which near itsupper end is provided with an annular shoulder 14, which rests on thebordering edge of the opening 11 and serves to retain the pin in itslowered position within the openings. Each pin is also provided with aneye in which a ring 15 is pivoted. The top of each draw-head is alsoprovided with an elongated opening or slot 16, which extends rearwardlyfor a desired distance and also extends down to and in communicationwith the opening or mouth 8.

In the bottom of the opening 8 of the drawhead is pivoted upon atransverse pin 17 a dog 18. This dog is provided with a shoulder 19,which is adapted to engage under the end of the pm when said pin israised. It is also provided with another shoulder or projection 20,whichwhen the pin is lowered is adapted to bear upon the link andmaintain said link in a horizontal or substantially horizontal plane.The upper end of this dog extends through the elongated slot 16.

Extending transversely across each car is a rock-bar 21. The ends ofthis bar extend through and turn freely in eyes formed in plates 22,projecting from the sides of the car, and the extremities of the bar arebent down in the form of handles 23 23. The plates 22 are also formedwith outstanding lugs 24,

which are adapted to act as stops to limit the extent of the upturningof the rods.

Each rock-bar is formed or provided medially with a projecting arm 25,which extends down at an obliquity or incline, thence upwardly at anincline, and finally out in a straight horizontal line. The under edgeof the upwardly-inclined portion of this arm is adapted, when thecoupling-pin is down, to rest upon the upper end of the dog 18.

While the specific form of arm 25 just described is preferred, yet I donot wish to be understood as confining myself thereto, as any form maybe adopted which will permit the arm to bear upon the upper end of thedog in the manner above described. The

outer straight extremity of the arm is connected with the ring 15 of thepin by means of a chain 26.

Passing through an opening in a projecting portion of the roof of eachcar and also through a guide or keeper 27 is a vertical rod 28. Thelower end of this rod is connected to an eye 29, formed on the upperedge of the arm 25, said connection being made by means of a chain 30.

Each coupling-pin 13 is advisably intersected at its lower end by atransverse pin 31, and this pin is adapted to pass into recesses 32 inthe lower opening 12 and also to pass for a short distance into recesses33 33 in the upper opening 11. These recesses 33, however, only extendfor a short vertical distance, and their upper ends therefore act asstops to prevent the entire withdrawal of the coupling-pin upwardly.

In the operation of my invention, if it is desired to couple two carsequipped with my improved form of couplers it is first necessary thatthe coupling-pin of one of the couplingheads be raised and held in itsraised posi tion. If, for instance, the trainman is nearest the car (5,he will take hold of the handle of the rock-bar 21 at the side of thecar where he is and turn said handle upwardly. This will have the effectof raising the couplingpin by means of the arm 25 and the chain 26. Themoment the pin is raised to its full ex tent the dog, being overweightedat its outer edge, will turn forwardly by gravity on its pivot until theshoulder 19 passes beneath the lower end of the coupling-pin, as clearlyshown at the right hand of Fig. 2. The couppin of the other car, it willbe understood, is in its lowermost position and passes through the link,said link extending out a desired distance from the mouth of thedraw-head and being maintained in horizontal position by the shoulder 20of the dog bearing against the inner end of the link. The two cars arenow made to approach each other, and the moment the forward end of thelink strikes the dog of the draw-head 7 it will throw said dog backwardon its pivot until the shoulder 19 is out of engagement with the lowerend of the coupling-pin. This coupling-pin then of course at once dropsby gravity, and, passing through the link, has the effect of securelycoupling the cars together.

In the operation just described the coupling-pin of the drawhead 7 wasraised by turning one of the handles at the side of the car upwardly,which of course obviates the necessity of a trainman going in betweenthe cars. The rods 28 also provide means for raising the coupling-pinsfrom the tops of the cars. In order to thus raise a pin, it is onlynecessary to pull upwardly on one of the rods 28.

After coupling the cars in the manner just described, if it is desiredto uncouple, all that is necessary is either to turn one of the handles23 upwardly or pull upwardly 011 one of the rods 28. This has the effectof raising the coupling-pin and throwing the dog forward, thuspermitting the opposite car to withdraw the link.

My device is most admirably adapted for coupling with higher or loweropposite drawheads. This function is secured by reason of the fact thatwhen the coupling-pin is lowered the upwardly-inclined portion of arm 25bears 011 the top of the dog, and by manipulating one of the handles 23a wedging action is produced by said upwardly-inclined arm on the top ofthe dog. By turning the handle 23 downwardly the outer end of thecoupling-link is raised, while by turning said handle in the oppositedirection the outer end of the coupling-link is permitted to fall.

It is furthermore to be noted that my improved device will couple on acurve as well as on a straight line.

Attention is also directed to the fact that there is very little dangerof the coupling becoming clogged up with dirt or snow, as it willreadily clear itself of such matter.

A further advantage is gained from the fact that I do not use throughoutthe entire construction a single spring. The use of springs in someforms of construction is very objectionable owing to said springs eitherlosing their resiliency in a very short time or becoming broken orotherwise damaged.

Still another important advantage possessed by my invention will be herementioned. It resides in the fact that the dog takes the thrust of thelink, and the solid shock of the link against the draw-head is therebyobviated.

In addition to the advantages heretofore recited it may be stated thatall the links and pins now in use in the old form of couplers maybe usedin connection with my automatic coupler, and that also in coupling earsthe link is entirely free from any strain or pressure while it is beinginserted in the drawhead, as the two draw-heads of the cars beingcoupled will meet before any thrust can be imparted to the inner end ofthe link.

Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. In a car-coupling, the combination,of a draw-head provided with a longitudinal opening or mouth, and havingan opening intersecting said longitudinal opening or mouth vertically, acoupling-pin fitting in said vertical opening, a pivoted dog adapted toswing forwardly as the coupling-pin is lifted and to engage the pin andhold said pin in elevated position, a coupling-link insertible in thedraw-head, and through which the couplingpin is adapted to extend, whensaid pin is in its lowered position, a pivoted dog adapted to bearagainst the link, and a transverse rockbar provided with a projectingarm adapted to bear against the upper end of the dog, and the outerextremity of said arm being connected with the coupling-pin, for thepurpose of operating said pin as the rock-baris turned.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination, of a coupler-head provided with alongitudinal opening or mouth and having an opening intersecting saidlongitudinal opening or mouth vertically, a coupling-pin fitting in saidvertical opening, a pivoted dog adapted to swing forwardly as thecoupling-pin is lifted and to engage the pin and hold said pin inelevated position, a coupling link insertible in the draw-head, andthrough which the coupling- IO pin is adapted to extend, When said pinis in its lowered position, a pivoted dog adapted to bear against thelink, and a transverse rockbar provided with a projecting arm adapted tobear against the upper end of the dog.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature 15 in presence of twowitnesses.

HARRY L. MILLER. Witnesses:

EDW. O. KRETLOW, E. L. BoEHM.

